French Africa policy: Sarkozy's legacy, and prospects for a Hollande Presidency

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Periodical article

Title:	French Africa policy: Sarkozy's legacy, and prospects for a Hollande Presidency
Author:	Moncrieff, Richard
Year:	2012
Periodical:	South African Journal of International Affairs
Volume:	19
Issue:	3
Pages:	359-380
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	France Africa Chad Ivory Coast - Côte d'Ivoire
Subjects:	foreign policy military intervention
About persons:	Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sárközy de Nagy-Bocsa (1955-) François Hollande (1954-)
External link:	https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10220461.2012.741104
Abstract:	This article assesses the record of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Sub-Saharan Africa. It finds that significant reforms were made to France's role on the continent, most notably in the re-structuring, and reducing, of France's military presence. However, expectations of less military intervention were not met, as the French armed forces have been active in three very different crises - in Côte d'Ivoire, Chad and the West African Sahel. Equally, Sarkozy did not make a clear break with past practices of support for undemocratic leaders, nor did he put an end to the exceptional status of Africa in French diplomacy. The article goes on to consider African perspectives on France's role, both popular resentment and elite level strategies. Finally, it provides a preliminary assessment of French policy in the first 100 days of François Hollande's presidency. Notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]